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It is a double negative, subtracting is essentially adding a negative, therefore subtracting would be a negative negative number, which would be a positive, my mom helped me remember it by thinking if a bad thing happened to a bad person, it would be good, if a good thing happened to a good person it would be good, if a bad thing happened to a good person it would be bad, ect.

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Q: Why is subtracting a negative number a positive number?
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Related questions

Why subtracting a negative number is equivalent to adding a positive number?

equivalent to subtracting a negative


What are the rules for adding and subtracting integers?

when you add two positive integers the answer is always positive when you add two negative integers the answer is positive when you add one negative and on positive integer, the answer is negative subtracting two negative numbers gets a negative answer subtracting two positive numbers- the answer depends subtracting a negative and positive number- the answer depends, the positive number would have to be bigger than the negative to achieve a negative number, and if the positive number is less, than the answer is still negative


When subtracting a negative and a positive your answer would be a positive?

If you are subtracting the negative from the positive, the answer will be positive. If you are subtracting the positive from the negative, the answer will be negative.


What is a negative subtracted by a negative?

Subtracting a negative number has the same effect as adding a positive number - think of it as moving right on a number line whereas, subtracting a positive number will move you left on a number line.


What do you get when a negative number is subtracted from a positive number?

The sign of the answer will always be a positive number because subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive (


If your positive and negative number are the same does it become a negative number or positive number?

It depends on what you are doing to the two identical numbers. If you are multiplying them, it becomes a negative. If you are dividing them, it becomes a negative. If you are adding them, it will always be zero (e.g., 2+ -2 = 0, etc.). There are two ways to subtract. If you are subtracting a positive from a negative, the number remains negative. If you are subtracting a negative from a positive, or a negative from a negative, the negative becomes a positive and you just add from there.


When subtracting a negative number why do you move to the right on the number line instead of the left?

Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number. Also, adding a negative number is the same as subtracting a positive number. -7 + (-5) = -7 - 5 = -12 -7 - (-5) = -7 + 5 = -2


When a negative number is subtracted from a positive number is the difference always positive?

Yes, a negative number subtracted from a positive number will always be positive. Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding the opposite of the negative number. The opposite of a negative number is always positive. A positive number plus a positive number is always positive.


Does a positive number minus a negative number equal a positive number or a negative number?

Positive. A negative number added to a positive would reduce the original to a smaller positive, to zero, or to a negative depending on their relative values but subtracting a negative number from a positive number will always increase the value of the positive.


Does subtracting one negative number from another negative number give you a positive number or another negative number?

always another negative number


Is subtracting a negative number the same thing as adding a positive number?

yes


What is the rule for subtracting negative numbers?

The rule for subtracting negative numbers is 'when you are subtracting a negative number from a positive or negative, you must always add it.'Example: 3--3 = 3+3 = 6